Carrying cases for sewing machines



mm 21, 195 E. P; TARLEZ CARRYING CASES FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 30, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOH BY v ATTORNEY @ct. 21, 195% E. P. TARLE CARRYING CASES FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1954 lllll ll 9 \YN 7 8 o 2 INVENTOR Emile P; Tar/e WITNESS WWW ATTORNEY United States Patent CARRYING CASES FOR SEWING MACHINES Emile P. Tarl, Paris, France, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 30, 1954, Serial No. 459,351

7 Claims. (Cl. 45-682) This invention relates to carrying cases for sewing machines and more particularly to carrying cases which are made up of two separate parts, viz., a base member and a cover member, the base member being arranged to support a sewing machine and the cover member being arranged to cover the sewing machine and the base member completely.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrying case for sewing machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved two-part carrying case in which the cover may easily and quickly be connected to or disconnected from the base.

With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the cover member of the carrying case embodying the present inven tion;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the base member of the carrying case embodying the present invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views showing the cover member of Fig. 1 attached to the base member of Fig. 2, Fig. 3 being a section taken on a line 3-3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 being a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, but with the drop-leaf lowered; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through one of the latch members.

The carrying case shown in the drawings includes a base member 16 and a cover member 17. The base member 16 comprises a horizontal bottom wall 19, two end walls 21 and 22, a front wall 23 and a rear or back wall 24. The outer surfaces of walls 21, 22, 23 and 24 are inclined inwardly and upwardly thereby causing the outer surfaces of the two end walls 21 and 22 to converge upwardly and the outer surface of the front and rear walls 23 and 24 likewise to converge upwardly. Between the two end walls 21 and 22 the base member 16 is provided with a vertical partition 26. The right end wall 22, the partition 26 and portions of the front and rear walls 23 and 24 define an attachment cornpartment 27. The bottom of the compartment 27 is closed by a portion of the bottom wall 19, and the top of the compartment 27 is closed by a thin metallic cover 28. One end of the metallic cover 28 has a downwardly bent tongue (not shown) which enters a slit (not shown) formed in the inside portion of the front wall 23. The other end of the metallic cover 28 is equipped with a pivoted latch (not shown) which enters a slit (not shown) formed in the inside portion of the rear wall 24, the latch being turned by an upwardly extending handle 33.

The left end wall 21, the partition 26, portions of the front and rear walls 23 and 24, and a portion of the bottom wall 19 define a cavity 34 adapted to receive the bed-plate 36 of a conventional sewing machine 37. The rear edge of the sewing machine bed-plate 36 is pivotally secured to the upper portion of the rear wall 24 by means of conventional hinges 38, only one hinge being shown. Located in the cavity 34 and adjacent to the inner face of the front wall 23 and the rear wall 24 are pairs of bumpers 39-39, the front pair of which are engaged by a front portion of the sewing machine bed-plate 36 when it is in lowered position. A latch 41, of known construction, is pivotally secured to the top of the partition 26 and this latch prevents the sewing machine 37 from accidentally pivoting on the hinges 38.

A drop-leaf 42 is hinged to the upper portion of the left end wall 21 by means of a pair of hinges 43-43. Each hinge 43 has two leaves 44-46 connected by a spindle 47. The leaf 44 of each hinge is held flush with the inner face of the left end wall 21,. and the other leaf 46 of the hinges 43 is held flush with the upper face of the drop-leaf 42. In this connection. it should be noted that the upper portion of the left end wall 21 is recessed and thereby receives the hinge spindle 47 as Well as a portion of both the leaves 46-46 which are attached to the drop-leaf 42. Because the spindle 47 is located adjacent to the inner surface of the wall 21 a space is provided between the end of the drop-leaf 42 and the spindle 47. When the drop-leaf 42 is lowered as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the top of the dropleaf 42 will be flush with the upper surface of the bedplate 36 of the sewing machine 37. Reference to Fig. 3 shows that the drop-leaf 42 is in the form of an isoceles trapezoid having two non-parallel sides 43 and 49 and two parallel sides 51 and 52. The longer parallel side 51 is secured to the hinge leaves 46-46, and the shorter parallel side 52 is at the free end of the drop-leaf 42. The drop-leaf 42 is supported in its lowered position by means of a support bar 53, the lower end of the bar 53 being pivotally held in a groove formed in a bracket 56 countersunk below the outer surface of the left end wall 21 and held by screws 57. The upper end of the support bar 53 carries a pin 58 which slides in the runway of a channel-bar 59 embedded below the lower surface of the drop-leaf 42. When the drop-lcaf 42 is lowered the free end of the support bar 53 engages the closed end of the channel-bar 59. As will hereinafter he understood, the converging of the non-parallel sides 48-49 of the drop-leaf 42, as well as the upward convergence of the outer surfaces of the end walls 21 and 22 and the upward convergence of the outer surfaces of the front and back walls 23 and 24 makes it possible for the cover member 17 to fit over the base member 16 and drop-leaf 42., when the said drop-leaf is in the raised position as shown by solid lines in Fig. 2. The outer surface of each of the end walls 21 and 22 is provided with a countersunk keeper 61, each keeper having a substantially semicircular hole 62, the straight diametrical edge of which is horizontal and forms the upper boundary of said hole 62. Since the keepers 61 are mounted on the convergent end walls 21 and 22, .the outer surfaces of the keepers converge toward one another. Also each keeper has a small horizontal lip that is flush with the top surface of the end wall on which the keeper is mounted.

The cover member 17 of the carrying case comprises a horizontal top wall 69, two end walls 71 and 72, a front wall 73 and a rear orback wall 74. The two end walls 71 and 72iconverge upwardly and the front and back walls 73ancl 74 also converge upwardly. The upper surface of the top wall 69 carries a conventional pivoted handle 76. Each of the end walls 71 and 72 of the cover member is apertured as at 77 and thereby supports a latch 78. Each latch 78 comprises an escutcheon 79 having fastened thereto .a sleeve 81, which enters the aperture 77. The sleeve 31 and escutcheon 79 slidably and turnably support a bolt 82. The outer end of the bolt 82 has a finger engageable head 83=and the inner end of thebolt 82 is provided with a wedge shaped nose 84, the outer circumference of whichicarries a pin 86 which operates in a bayonetslot 87 formed in the sleeve 81. A helical compression spring 88 is positionedbetween the inner face of the escutcheon 7.9 and the nose 84, thereby biasing the bolt 82 inwardly. When desirable the .bolt 32 may be moved against the force ofthe spring 88 and when the bolt 82 is so moved :and turnedit is held in the extended position by reason of the pin 86 engaging the offset portion of the .bayonet slot 87.

The inner faces of the'end, front and back walls 71, 72, 73 and 74 of the cover member 17 carry a plurality oflocatingbars 89, of which the lower surfaces are provided with felt pads. When the cover member 17 is placed on the base member "16, the under padded surfaces of the bars 89 may rest on top of the walls 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the base member :16, thereby properly positioning the cover member 17 on the base member 16. The inner surfaces of the walls 71, 72, 73 and 74 of the cover member 17 also carry felt pads 90 which engage the external sloping surfaces of the base member 16 when the cover member 17 is placed over the base member.

While not illustrated, it .will be understood that a footcontroller of conventional design and an oil-can may be mounted inside of the cover member 17'.

Operation If it is assumed that the cover member 17 has been removed from the base member 16, and that the carrying case is to be'used to transport the sewing machine 37 from one location to another,-then the bolts $2 of the two latches '78 will be turned until the pins as are disengaged from the holding portion of the bayonet slots 37. This will allow the helical compression springs S$.t8 to move the bolts $22-82 to their innermost extended position. then the drop-leaf 42 will be moved from the lower position shown by dot-dot lines in Fig. 2 to the raised position shown by solid linesin the same figure. Since the sides 425 and 4% of the drop-leaf 42 and the external. surfaces of the walls 21, 22, 23 and 2d of the base member 16 converge toward the upper portions thereof, and since the walls 71, 72, 73 and 74 of the cover member 17 diverge toward the lower portions thereof, it is an easy task to fit the cover member 17 over the base member 16. As the cover member 17 is lowered over the base member 16, the inner wedge shaped ends or noses d4 of the bolts 82 engage the upper converged portions of the keepers 61. The sloping walls of the keeper 61 move the bolts 32 against the action of the compression springs 83 until such time as the bolts 32 enter the holes 62, when the springs 88 force the bolts 82 into the holes 62, thereby causing the base member 16 and cover member 17 to be latched together.

The cover member 17 may be removed from the base member 16 by first pulling outwardly on the heads 83 of the bolts 82 and then turning the bolts until the pins 86 enter the holding portion of the bayonet slots 87. Then the cover member 17, by use of the lifting handle 76, can be removed from the base member 16.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what 1 claim herein is:

1. A carrying case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said base member having two end walls, a front wall and a 'back wall, the outer surfaces of some of said walls converging upwardly; a drop-leaf having two non-parallel sides which converge toward one another; means for hinging said drop-leaf to said base memb r; a cover member having four side walls and a top wall and being adapted to enclose said base member and said dropleaf; and means for securing said cover member to said base member.

2. A carrying case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said base member having two end walls, a front wall ,and a back wall, the outer surfaces of some of said walls converging upwardly, means forattaching a sewing machineto said base member; a drop-leaf in the form of an isosceles trapezoid having two convergent nonparallel sides, and two parallel sides, one of said parallel sides being longer than the other parallel side; means for hinging said longer parallel side of said drop-leaf to said base member; a cover member adapted to fit over said base member, said cover member having two end walls, a front wall and a back wall, some of said walls of said cover member converging upwardly; and a latch means for securing said-cover member to said .base member.

3. .A carrying .case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said base member having two end .walls, a front wall vand a back wall, the outer surfaces of .said twoendwalls converging upwardly, and theouter surfaces of said front and back walls convergingupwardly; .means for securing a sewing machine to said base member; a drop-leaf in the form of an isosceles trapezoid havingt-wo convergent non-parallel sides, and two parallel sides,. one of said parallel sides being longerithan the other parallel side; means ,for;hinging said longer parallel side of said drop-leaf to said base member; means for supporting the free end of said drop-leaf from said base member; a keeper mounted flush with the outer surface .of .eachof said end walls, saidkeepers converging upwardly; a cover member adapted to fit over said base member, said cover member having two end walls, a front wall ;and a back wall, the two end walls of said cover member converging upwardly andthe front andback walls of said cover member converging upwardly; and a latch .mounted in each end wall of said cover and arranged so that whenvsaid cover member is placed entirely over said base member, said latchesengage said keepers.

:4. Acarrying case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said -base member having a horizontal bottom wall, twoend walls, a front wall and a back-wall, the outer surfaces of said two end wallsconverging ,upwardly, and the outer surfaces of said front and .back Walls convergingupwardly; means for pivotally attaching a sewing machine to saidback Wall; a drop-leaf inthe form of an isosceles trapezoid having two convergent non-parallel sides, and two parallel sides, one of said parallel sides being longer than the other parallel side; means for hinging said longer parallel side of said dropleaf to one of said end walls of said base member; means for supporting the free end of said drop-leaf from ;the same end wall to which said drop-leaf is hinged; a keeper mounted flush with the outer surfaceof each of said ,end walls, said keepers converging upwardly; a cover member adapted to fit over said base member, said cover member having a horizontal top wall, two end walls, a front wall and a back wall, the twoend walls of said cover member converging upwardly and the front and back walls of said cover member converging upwardly; apick-up handle secured to said top wall; and a latch mounted in each end wall ofsaid cover and arranged so that when said cover member is placed entirely over said base member, said latches engage said keepers.

5. A carrying case for sewing machines comprising a base, said base having two end walls, a-front wall and a rear wall; means on said base for mounting a sewing machine; a drop-leaf; hinge means forhinging said dropleaf on one end of said base, said drop-leaf being movable from a horizontally dropped position to an upstanding position; and acover having a top wall,-two end walls, a front-wall and arear wall, said walls of said cover being 5 of such a size as to form a cover sufficiently large completely to enclose said base and said drop-leaf when said drop-leaf is in the upstanding position.

6. A carrying case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said base member having two end walls, a front Wall and a rear wall, said walls defining a space for receiving a portion of a sewing machine, and the outer surfaces of said walls converging upwardly; and a cover member adapted to fit over said base member, said cover member having two end walls, a front wall and a rear wall, the inner surfaces of the walls of said cover member converging upwardly to be complemental to the upwardly convergent outer surfaces of the walls of said base member.

7. A carrying case for sewing machines comprising a base member, said base member having two end walls, a front wall and a rear wall, said walls defining a space for receiving a portion of a sewing machine, and the outer surfaces of said walls converging upwardly, a keeper mounted on two of" said walls of said base member, and said keepers converging upwardly; a cover member adapted to fit over said base member, said cover member having two end walls, a front wall and a rear wall, and the inner surfaces of the walls of said. cover member having inner matching surfaces which converge upwardly, and a latch mounted on two of said walls of said cover, said latches converging upwardly and said latches being arranged so that when said cover member is placed over said base member, said latches engage said keepers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 358,643 Braeger Mar. 1, 1887 562,555 Roemer June 23, 1896 1,310,313 Vara July 15, 1919 1,394,936 Pratt Oct. 25, 1921 1,689,101 Beck Oct. 23, 1928 

